GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. — While we are celebrating back to school, there is still summer fun to be had. Niagara Amusement and Splash Park on Grand Island is still open weekends through the end of the month, and so is a fan-favorite from the old Fantasy Island days.
While the park has new owners, much of the focus is rooted in old-fashioned fun that has been enjoyed for generations and an attraction that was actually saved by the performers themselves.
Visitors are still welcomed by the words, "Travel backward through time, back to the days of the old west." That is exactly what the new park owners, I.B. Parks and Entertainment loves to do, bring back the nostalgia and the memories.
"We're gonna recognize the park's history as we work on it's future," Senior V.P. of Operations Gary Fawks said.
A big part of that history is the old west show, which sees the good guys winning and the bad guys made to look like the fools, to the delight of kids of all ages. Much of that history was almost lost to looters and time after Fantasy Island went dark.
"Doc Holliday," also known as college student Lucas Foglia-Leffler is one of the people who saved it. He went back in and gathered whatever he could and brought it home for safe keeping.
"Everything that I had here came home with me hoping that this would come back one day and low and behold here we are again," Foglia-Leffler said.
For some of the performers it is a case of carrying on a family tradition of their own. "The Kid," known in real life as Elliott Hunt is a second generation cowboy, in fact that's his dad Marc performed through the 90s.
Fawks says it's all about connecting with families over the course of generations.
"Of course in a lot of ways it's nostalgic because these are people they watch this gun fight show when they were kids they're bringing their children back out and their families back out to participate in that tradition," Fawks said.
The park will remain open on weekends through at least September. For current schedules, check their Facebook page.